Cyberspace gambling brought almost $2 billion to the coffers of internet casinos in 1998, according to one US-based market research firm. The online gambling business is expected to grow quickly to $10 billion annually.

Because the internet is global in its reach, it allows gambling fans to partake in the pastime even when it's illegal in their home countries. The result, say some, has been a growing epidemic of gambling addiction.

Psychologist Gerhard Meyer, advisor with the central agency for the dangers of addiction based in Bremen, Germany, complains about the ease of gambling over the internet. While entering a real casino requires adeliberate action, ``home gamblers'' sit alone at their screens. Loneliness, however, is pure poison for those prone to addiction.

``The internet gambler can ruin himself in the living room, without anybody noticing,'' says Meyer.

Bets of almost any amount are instantly billed to internet gamblers' credit cards. Some services even accept wire transfers of money, with which an individual player account is created.

Arjan Van'T Veer, legal expert with Erasmus University of Rotterdam and author of a 1998 study about gambling on the internet, counted ``at least'' 150 virtual casinos, lotteries, and book makers online (www.eur.nl/frg/si/arjan/home.html).

While some countries have outlawed cyberspace gambling, others are embracing it. The Dominican Republic is the first country to consider an on-line casino as a state enterprise - expecting significant revenue.

The fact that so many people are excited about on-line gambling is probably also due to the success of some cyberspace casinos' advertisingcampaigns. The Caribbean Cyber Casino promises ``happy hours with the chance to win real money''. The Casino Royale based in the Caribbean island Curacao claims gambling on-line is ``definitely better than a flight to Las Vegas or Monte Carlo - you can get comfortable at home and play anytime, day or night.

The names of the casinos listed on pages like www.casinocity.comattempt to lure those hooked on the promise of easy winnings: Play4prizes, Casino Caribe, or Golden Hollywood Casino. Typically, after users download special software free of charge, the gambling can begin. Of course, the casinos ascertain that independent testers have verified the algorithms powering the games. ``The outcomes of the game reflect conditions in Las Vegas,'' says Aces Casino.

Most companies behind online casinos are based in the US, where gambling is outlawed in most places. Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona is one of the US lawmakers hotly opposed to online gambling. The so-called Kyl-Bill (``Kill Bill'') aims to outlaw nearly allforms of on-line gambling for US citizens. Kyl's opponents claim that he is acting on behalf of the lobby of established casinos in Las Vegas, rather than for moral reasons.

US providers usually offer gambling services from countries where there are no legal ramifications. Such countries include the Venezuelan Island Margarita, Antigua in the Caribbean, Grenada, or the Cook islands in the South Pacific. The Interactive Gaming Council, based in Washington, has tallied 22 usually small countries that allow on-line gambling.

Start-up costs for a full-fledged gambling web site are relatively low at less than $.5 million, compared to the projected earnings, says Sebastian Sinclair, a specialist with the American magazine ``International Gaming and Wagering Business Magazine''.